Centurion: the machine soldiers of the Cylon Empire
The Centurions were a mass produced race of mechanical beings created by the reptilian Cylons. After overthrowing their creators, they made up the bulk of the military forces of the reconstituted Cylon Empire, commanding Raiders and leading its ground forces under the Imperious Leader.
The Centurions were a mass produced race of mechanical beings, originally created by the reptilian Cylons. Following the overthrow of the Cylons by their own creations, the Centurions made up the bulk of the military forces of the reconstituted Cylon Empire, which was led by the Imperious Leader.
Origins#
The Centurions had their origins possibly in the fourth or fifth millennium. The Cylon Empire became aware of and intrigued by humanity, which had colonised many planets near Cylon territory. Recognising the human body design as very practical, the Cylons designed their military robots, the Centurions, based on that design.
Service to the Empire#
Following the overthrow of the Cylons by their own creations, the Centurions made up the bulk of the military under the reconstituted empire led by the Imperious Leader. They commanded Raiders and led the empire's ground forces. There was also a variant known as the Command Centurion, which was gold in color rather than chrome and served as an officer among the standard chrome soldiers.
Design#
While built to mimic humans, Centurions were designed to be taller and physically stronger than them. With the ability to replace damaged body parts, a single unit could last indefinitely. They were fitted with better processors than the human brain and could think faster as a result. This advantage was limited, however, by their identical programming. With a lack of individuality among them, creative strategies devised by their enemies stood a greater chance of success.
Frequently asked questions
- What were the Centurions in the Original Series?
- The Centurions were a mass produced race of mechanical beings originally created by the reptilian Cylons. After the Cylons were overthrown by their own creations, the Centurions formed the bulk of the military forces of the reconstituted Cylon Empire.
- Why were the Centurions built to resemble humans?
- The Cylon Empire became aware of and intrigued by humanity, which had colonised many planets near Cylon territory. Recognising the human body design as very practical, the Cylons modelled their military robots on that design, making the Centurions taller and physically stronger than the humans they imitated.
- What was a Command Centurion?
- The Command Centurion was a variant of the standard Centurion that was gold in color rather than chrome. It served as an officer among the rank and file Centurion soldiers of the Cylon military.
- What was the great weakness of the Centurions?
- Although the Centurions had better processors than the human brain and could think faster, they all shared identical programming and lacked individuality. This meant creative strategies devised by their enemies stood a greater chance of success against them.
Sources
- WikiCenturion (TOS) — Battlestar Wiki entry
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
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